Part recognition data creation method and apparatus, electronic part mounting apparatus, and recorded medium

ABSTRACT

It is an object of the present invention to provide a parts recognition data preparing method and a preparing device and an electronic parts mounting device and a recording medium, which are capable of preparing parts recognition data, which are set to respective electronic parts and are referred to when the electronic parts are to be recognized, precisely and quickly not to know particularly the characteristic of the recognition algorithm. 
     In the present invention, there are provided an inputting means for inputting information of a body and electrodes of the electronic parts, a recognition algorithm selecting means for identifying a type of the electronic parts based on input information of the body and the electrodes and then selecting a recognition algorithm that is adaptive to the identified type, and a parts shape data extracting means for extracting automatically parts shape data, which are required for a recognizing process executed by the selected recognition algorithm, from the input information of the body and the electrodes, whereby parts recognition data in which recognition conditions of the electronic parts are recorded are prepared.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a parts recognition data preparingmethod and a preparing device and an electronic parts mounting deviceand a recording medium, which are applied to a device that recognizes anelectronic parts based on image data being obtained by picking up animage of the electronic parts to prepare parts recognition data thatrecord recognition conditions of the electronic parts, and relates tothe data inputting technology that is useful for recognizing theelectronic parts, which is sucked onto a suction nozzle of theelectronic parts mounting device, to correct its mounting position basedon its suction attitude, for example.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, in the electronic parts mounting field, the technologyfor mounting the electronic parts on the circuit board at high speedwith high precision is required. Normally the image recognizingtechnology for executing the correct of a mounting position and anamount of rotation of the electronic parts by processing image data,which are obtained by picking up the image of the electronic parts, athigh speed to detect a position and an amount of rotation of theelectronic parts precisely is employed. Also, with the progress ofmulti-electrodes and miniaturization of the electronic parts, thetechnology for detecting and correcting the electrode position tends tobe employed such that individual electrodes of the electronic parts canbe mounted on lands of the substrate precisely. In order to detectindividual electrode positions, it must be made clear as the premisecondition in which way individual electrode are arranged. Therefore, notonly the algorithm of detecting the electrodes must be decided inresponse to the shape of the parts, but also data such as necessarydimensions, number of electrodes, etc. must be set in response to thisalgorithm.

First, a behavior of preparing the data when a square-shaped chip partsis recognized will be explained hereunder. FIG. 48 is a view showing anexternal appearance of a square-shaped chip parts 301. The square-shapedchip parts 301 has a shape in which electrodes 302 are arranged on itsright and left sides. When the parts which has the electrodes 302 on itsright and left sides is to be recognized, detection of the electrodes302 is carried out by using the algorithm for the square-shaped chipparts. In this algorithm, as shown in FIG. 48, data of the square-shapedchip parts 301 of parts dimensions L1, W1 and electrode lengths d1, d2are needed. As a result, parts recognition data to recognize thesquare-shaped chip parts 301 need

-   parts dimensions horizontal: L1-   vertical: W1-   electrode lengths length 1: d1-   length 2: d2.

Next, a behavior of preparing the data when a QFP parts is recognizedwill be explained hereunder. FIG. 49 is a view showing an externalappearance of a QFP parts 311. The QFP parts 311 has a shape in whichelectrodes 312 that are aligned at an equal interval are arranged onupper/lower/left/right sides respectively. In case such parts on theupper/lower/left/right sides of which the electrodes 312 are arranged atan equal interval is to be recognized, detection of the electrodes 312is executed by using the algorithm for the lead-type parts. In thisalgorithm, as shown in FIG. 49, data of the QFP parts 311 about partsdimensions L1, W1, lead outer shapes Lt, Wt, a width of the electrodeh1, an interval between the electrodes Pt, and the number of theelectrodes Nu, Nd, Nl, Nr are required. As a result, parts recognitiondata to recognize the square-shaped chip parts 301 need

-   parts dimensions horizontal: L1-   vertical: W1-   lead outer shapes horizontal: Lt-   vertical: Wt-   electrode dimensions width 1: h1-   interval: Pt-   number of the electrodes upper: Nu-   lower: Nd-   left: Nl-   right: Nr.

In this manner, the necessary parts recognition data are differentaccording to the used algorithm. However, if data about

-   parts dimensions: L1, L2, W1, W2-   lead outer shapes: Lt, Wt-   electrode dimensions: d1, d2, h1, h2, Pt-   number of the electrodes: Nu, Nd, Nl, Nr

and others are employed as input definitions of the dimensions, allparts shapes can be represented.

Also, the parts recognition data contain camera numbers Cn for switchingthe visual field size of the camera to pick up the image, illuminationcode numbers Lc for switching an illumination angle and an illuminationstrength when the electronic parts is illuminated, etc. in addition tothe above data. These data must be set according to size, shape, etc. ofthe electronic parts as the recognition object.

In this manner, if fixed forms of dimensional definitions are employed,the parts recognition data of the same size can be prepared irrespectiveof the shape of the electronic parts.

In the related art, these parts recognition data are set entirelymanually. In other words, the parts recognition data are input bycomparing the electronic parts as the recognized object with the datasheet shown in FIG. 5, which is prepared every parts type, thenselecting the optimum recognition algorithm, and then measuringdimensions at predetermined positions in accordance with the selectedrecognition algorithm.

In the above method in the related art, first it is important which oneof plural prepared recognition algorithms should be selected. Forexample, in the case of is the connector parts 321 shown in FIG. 50, therecognition algorithm used to recognize the above QFP parts is suitable.However, if a view of the QFP parts is set forth in the data sheet thatis used to select the recognition algorithm, a sufficient knowledge ofthe recognition algorithm is required to decide whether or not the samerecognition algorithm can be applied to the connector parts in FIG. 50.Even if the optimum recognition algorithm can be selected, input dataare different from the data of the QFP parts and thus the datacorresponding to Lt, Nd, Nl, Nr are not present in the connector parts321. Therefore, since there exist input items of data that are notactually present in the parts, the operator does not know how to inputthese data and is troubled with the inputting operation when suchoperator starts to input the data via the input screen shown in FIG. 51,for example.

In order to avoid such situation, it may be considered that the datasheets are prepared individually in response to the shape of the parts.In such case, not only a great deal of data sheets are needed but alsoit is not easy to select the appropriate data sheet from these datasheets.

Also, the connector parts 331 shown in FIG. 52 is present in theconnector parts. In this connector parts 331, reinforcing electrodes 334are arranged on both ends separately from the normal electrodes 332. Inthis manner, if the reinforcing electrodes 334 are provided to bothends, detection is carried out while ignoring the reinforcing electrodes334. As a result, the parts recognition data has the completely sameshape as the connector parts 321 shown in FIG. 51. However, if theoperator does not know to ignore the reinforcing electrodes 334, twotypes of lead widths and lead intervals are present and thus theoperator cannot decide how to input the data.

Such exceptional inputting method tends to increase more and morebecause the shapes of the parts become complicated. Therefore, a deepknowledge of the adaptive recognition algorithm is required to preparethe parts recognition data.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems in therelated art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide aparts recognition data preparing method and a preparing device and anelectronic parts mounting device and a recording medium, which arecapable of preparing parts recognition data, which are set to respectiveelectronic parts and are referred to when the electronic parts are to berecognized, precisely and quickly not to know particularly thecharacteristic of the recognition algorithm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the above object, following items are disclosed.

(1) A parts recognition data preparing method according to the presentinvention that is applied to a device, which recognizes an electronicparts based on image data obtained by picking up an image of theelectronic parts, to prepare parts recognition data in which recognitionconditions of the electronic parts are recorded, wherein identificationof a type of the electronic parts, selection of a recognition algorithmthat is adaptive to the identified type, and automatic extraction ofparts shape data, which are required for a recognizing process executedby the recognition algorithm, from information of a body and electrodesare executed by inputting the information of the body and the electrodesof the electronic parts.

According to the parts recognition data preparing method of the presentinvention, since the information of the body and the electrodes of theelectronic parts are input, the recognition algorithm that is adaptiveto this electronic parts can be set and also the parts shape data thatare required for the recognizing process executed by the recognitionalgorithm can be extracted automatically from the input information ofthe body and electrodes. Therefore, since the information of the bodyand the electrodes of the electronic parts, which are required for therecognizing process executed by the recognition algorithm, can beautomatically input without sequential inputting, the electronic partsdata can be prepared precisely and quickly not to know particularly thecharacteristic of the recognition algorithm.

(2) In the parts recognition data preparing method, optical conditionsthat permit to pick up an image of the electronic parts under optimumconditions, which are adaptive to the selected type, are input.

According to the parts recognition data preparing method, since theoptical conditions such as imaging visual—field size, illuminationconditions, etc. are set to the optimum conditions in picking up theimage of the electronic parts, the electronic parts can be recognizedmore precisely.

(3) The parts recognition data preparing method comprises abody/electrode inputting step of inputting body information of theelectronic parts as an object and electrode information of theelectronic parts; a grouping step of grouping the electrodes every sideof an outer periphery of the body; an unnecessary electrode exceptingstep of excepting electrodes, which are overlapped among respectivegroups, and electrodes, which are not used to recognize the electronicparts, from the grouped electrodes; a recognition algorithm decidingstep of deciding the recognition algorithm that is adaptive to theelectronic parts; a parts shape data extracting step of extractingautomatically parts shape data, which are required for a recognizingprocess executed by the decided recognition algorithm, from informationof the body and the electrodes; and an optical-condition deciding stepof deciding optimum optical conditions in picking up the image of theelectronic parts.

According to the parts recognition data preparing method, the partsrecognition data are prepared by grouping the electrodes every side ofan outer periphery of the body in accordance with the input body andelectrode information of the electronic parts, then excepting electrodesthat are overlapped among respective groups and electrodes that are notused to recognize the electronic parts from the grouped electrodes, thendeciding the recognition algorithm that is adaptive to the electronicparts, then extracting automatically parts shape data, which arerequired for a recognizing process executed by the decided recognitionalgorithm, from already-input information of the body and theelectrodes, and then deciding the optimum optical conditions in pickingup the image of the electronic parts. Therefore, since the inputelectrodes can be classified into groups every side and the type of theelectronic parts can be decides without fail, the recognition algorithmcan be selected appropriately. Also, since the information of the bodyand the electrodes of the electronic parts, which are required for therecognizing process executed by the recognition algorithm, can beautomatically input without sequential inputting, the electronic partsdata can be prepared precisely and quickly not to know particularly thecharacteristic of the recognition algorithm.

(4) The parts recognition data preparing method further comprises a stepof plotting a body shape based on the input body information; a step ofplotting electrode shapes based on the input electrode information; anda deciding step of deciding whether or not plotted positionalrelationships of the body and the electrodes are correct; whereininformation of the body and the electrodes are checked visually.

According to the parts recognition data preparing method, since the bodyshape is plotted based on the input body information and electrodeshapes are plotted based on the input electrode information, it can bedecided by checking visually whether or not the plotted positionalrelationship between the body and the electrodes, etc. are correct.Therefore, the checking operation can be executed at an instant incontrast to the case where this relationship is decided only based onnumerical data, and thus it can be checked simply and quickly whether ornot input information are correct or false.

(5) The parts recognition data preparing method further comprises a stepof picking up the image of the electronic parts; a body area designatingstep of designating an area, which corresponds to a body portion, toimage data of the electronic parts; an electrode area designating stepof designating areas, which correspond to electrode portions, to theimage data; and an information extracting step of acquiring informationof the body from the designated body area and acquiring information ofthe electrodes from the designated electrode area; wherein partsrecognition data are prepared by using information acquired by theinformation extracting step.

According to the parts recognition data preparing method, since theinformation of the body and the electrodes are acquired from the imagedata in the body area and the electrode area by designating the area,which corresponds to the body portion of the electronic parts, and thearea, which corresponds to the electrode parts, to the image dataobtained by picking up the image of the electronic parts, theinformation of the parts shape data such as body dimensions, color,concentration, etc. and the parts shape data such as electrodedimensions, number of electrodes, alignment pitch, etc. can be extractedautomatically. Thus, there is no need to input respective data one byone. Therefore, the preparation of the parts recognition data can besimplified much more.

(6) In the parts recognition data preparing method, the grouping stepincludes a step of excepting electrodes, which are present on anopposite side to a selected side, from the selected side group withrespect to respective sides of left side/upper side/right side/lowerside of the body of the electronic parts, a step of ordering theelectrodes in the selected side group in order of the electrodes whosecenters are closer to the selected side, and a step of extracting theelectrode that is closest to the selected side.

According to the parts recognition data preparing method, the electrodesthat are present on the opposite side to the selected side are exceptedfrom the selected side group with respect to respective sides of leftside/upper side/right side/lower side of the body of the electronicparts. Then, the electrode that is closest to the selected side is setin the selected-side group by ordering the electrodes in the selectedside group in order of the electrodes whose centers are closer to theselected side. According to such grouping step, the grouping of theelectrodes into respective sides can be executed.

(7) In the parts recognition data preparing method, the unnecessaryelectrode excepting step includes a step of excepting same electrodesfrom both side groups if the same electrodes are present betweenopposite side groups, and a step of removing duplicate electrodes byexcepting all electrodes from the selected side group when a number ofelectrodes in neighboring side groups is larger than 2 and by exceptingall electrodes from a side group in which a center of electrodealignment is not positioned at a center of the body when the number ofelectrodes in neighboring side groups is less than 2 if the number ofelectrodes in the selected side group is smaller than 3 and theelectrodes are contained in neighboring side groups. According to theparts recognition data preparing method, when the same electrodes arepresent between the opposite side groups, such same electrodes areexcepted from these both side groups. Then, if the number of electrodesin the selected side group is smaller than 3 and also the electrodes arecontained in neighboring side groups, all electrodes are excepted fromthe selected side group when the number of electrodes in neighboringside groups is larger than 2, while all electrodes are excepted from theside group in which the center of electrode alignment is not positionedat the center of the body when the number of electrodes in neighboringside groups is less than 2. Therefore, the duplicate electrodes areexcepted and also the unnecessary electrodes are excepted.

(8) A parts recognition data preparing device according to the presentinvention, used to recognize an electronic parts based on image dataobtained by picking up an image of the electronic parts, for preparingparts recognition data in which recognition conditions of the electronicparts are recorded, comprises an inputting means for inputtinginformation of a body and electrodes of the electronic parts; arecognition algorithm selecting means for identifying a type of theelectronic parts based on input information of the body and theelectrodes and then selecting a recognition algorithm that is adaptiveto the identified type; and a parts shape data extracting means forextracting automatically parts shape data, which are required for arecognizing process executed by the selected recognition algorithm, fromthe input information of the body and the electrodes.

According to the parts recognition data preparing device, theinformation of the body and electrodes of the electronic parts are inputby the inputting means, and then the recognition algorithm, which isadaptive to the type of the electronic parts being identified by therecognition algorithm selecting means, is selected based on the inputinformation of the body and the electrodes. Then, the parts recognitiondata are prepared by extracting automatically the parts shape data,which are required for the recognizing process executed by the selectedrecognition algorithm, from the input information of the body and theelectrodes by the parts shape data extracting means. Therefore, sincethe information of the body and the electrodes of the electronic parts,which are required for the recognizing process executed by therecognition algorithm, can be automatically input without sequentialinputting, the electronic parts data can be prepared precisely andquickly not to know particularly the characteristic of the recognitionalgorithm.

(9) The parts recognition data preparing device further comprises anoptical-condition setting means for setting optical conditions thatpermit to pick up an image of the electronic parts under optimumconditions, which are adaptive to the selected type.

According to the parts recognition data preparing device, since theoptical conditions such as imaging visual-field size, illuminationconditions, etc. are set to the optimum conditions in picking up theimage of the electronic parts, the electronic parts can be recognizedmore surely.

(10) The parts recognition data preparing device further comprises adisplaying means for displaying the information of the body and theelectrodes, which are input from the inputting means, on a screen.

According to the parts recognition data preparing device, since theinformation of the body shape and the electrode shape, etc., which areobtained from the information of the body and the electrode being inputfrom the inputting means, are displayed on the screen by the displayingmeans, it can be decided by checking visually whether or not displayedinformation of the positional relationship between the body and theelectrodes, etc. are correct. Therefore, input information can bechecked in a moment in contrast to the case where the decision is madeonly based on numerical data, and also it can be checked simply andquickly whether or not the input information are correct or false.

(11) The parts recognition data preparing device, the inputting meansextracts the information of the body and the electrodes of theelectronic parts from the image data obtained by picking up the image ofthe electronic parts to input.

According to the parts recognition data preparing device, since theinformation of the body and the electrodes are extracted from the area,which corresponds to the body portion of the electronic parts, and thearea, which corresponds to the electrode portion, of the image dataobtained by picking up the image of the electronic parts, theinformation such as body dimensions, color, concentration, etc. and theinformation of the parts shape data such as electrode dimensions, numberof electrodes, alignment pitch, etc. can be acquired automatically.Therefore, necessity to input respective data sequentially can beeliminated and thus the preparation of the parts recognition data can besimplified much more.

(12) An electronic parts mounting device according to the presentinvention, for mounting sequentially an electronic parts onto apredetermined position of a circuit board by a parts holding meanshaving a suction nozzle, which holds the electronic parts detachably,based on input NC information, comprises an inputting means forinputting information of a body and electrodes of the electronic parts;a recognition algorithm selecting means for identifying a type of theelectronic parts based on input information of the body and theelectrodes and then selecting a recognition algorithm that is adaptiveto the identified type; a parts shape data extracting means forextracting automatically parts shape data, which are required for arecognizing process executed by the selected recognition algorithm, fromthe input information of the body and the electrodes; anoptical-condition setting means for setting optical conditions thatpermit to pick up an image of the electronic parts under conditions,which are adaptive to the selected type; a recognizing means forrecognizing a suction attitude of the electronic parts held by thesuction nozzle; and a correcting means for correcting a mountingposition onto the circuit board in response to the suction attitude ofthe electronic parts recognized by the recognizing means.

According to the electronic parts mounting device of the presentinvention, the parts recognition data are prepared by inputting theinformation of the body and the electrodes of the electronic parts bythe inputting means, then selecting the recognition algorithm, which isadaptive to the type of the electronic parts identified by therecognition algorithm selecting means, based on the input information ofthe body and the electrodes, and then extracting the parts shape data,which are required for the recognizing process executed by the selectedrecognition algorithm, automatically from the information of the bodyand the electrodes by the parts shape data extracting means. The suctionattitude of the electronic parts held by the suction nozzle isrecognized by the recognizing means based on the parts recognition data,and then the mounting position of the electronic parts onto the circuitboard can be corrected by the correcting means in response to therecognized suction attitude of the electronic parts. Therefore, theinformation of the body and the electrodes of the electronic parts,which are required for the recognizing process executed by therecognition algorithm, can be input automatically without the sequentialinputting operation. As a result, the parts recognition data can beprepared precisely and quickly unless the operator is aware of thecharacteristics of the recognition algorithm, and also the electronicparts can be mounted onto the predetermined position of the circuitboard stably with good precision.

(13) A recording medium according to the present invention for recordinga part recognition data preparing program that is applied a device,which recognizes an electronic parts based on image data obtained bypicking up an image of the electronic parts, to prepare partsrecognition data, in which recognition conditions of the electronicparts are recorded, by a programmed computer, wherein a partsrecognition data preparing program for executing a step of inputtingbody information of the electronic parts as an object and electrodeinformation of the electronic parts, a step of grouping the electrodesevery side of an outer periphery of the body, a step of exceptingelectrodes, which are overlapped among respective groups, andelectrodes, which are not used to recognize the electronic parts, fromthe grouped electrodes, a step of deciding the recognition algorithmthat is adaptive to the electronic parts, a step of extracting partsshape data, which are required for a recognizing process executed by thedecided recognition algorithm, from information of the body and theelectrodes, and a step of deciding optimum optical conditions in pickingup the image of the electronic parts is recorded.

According to the recording medium of the present invention, since theprogram for causing to execute a step of inputting the body andelectrode information of the electronic parts, a step of grouping theelectrodes, a step of excepting electrodes, which are overlapped amongrespective groups, and electrodes, which are not used to recognize theelectronic parts, a step of deciding the recognition algorithm, a stepof extracting parts shape data, which are required for the recognizingprocess executed by the decided recognition algorithm, and a step ofdeciding the optimum optical conditions in picking up the image of theelectronic parts is recorded, the information of the body and theelectrodes of the electronic parts, which are required for therecognizing process executed by the recognition algorithm, can be inputautomatically by executing the program without the sequential inputtingoperation. Therefore, the parts recognition data can be preparedprecisely and quickly not to know particularly the characteristic of therecognition algorithm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic parts mounting deviceto which a parts recognition data preparing method according to thepresent invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a transfer head of theelectronic parts mounting device;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view explaining an operation of theelectronic parts mounting device;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing flows of data processing of partsrecognition data in the electronic parts mounting device;

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E are views showing types of the electronicparts to which respective recognition algorithms are fitted;

FIG. 6 is a view showing an external appearance of the electronic parts;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing procedures of preparing parts recognitiondata of the electronic parts;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing procedures of grouping electrodes;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing procedures of a unnecessary electroderemoving process;

FIG. 10 is a view showing an external appearance of the electronicparts;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing procedures of preparing the partsrecognition data;

FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C are views showing behaviors of preparing the partsrecognition data of the electronic parts while plotting them;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing procedures of preparing the partsrecognition data;

FIG. 14 is a view showing conceptually a behavior of picking up imagesof the parts recognition data of the electronic parts;

FIG. 15 is a view showing behaviors of extracting the parts recognitiondata from the picked-up image data;

FIG. 16 is a view showing an external appearance of the overallelectronic parts mounting device having a rotary head;

FIG. 17 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a parts fittingmechanism of the electronic parts mounting device shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a view showing a display screen when body shape, body color,and body dimensions (horizontal, vertical) are input in inputting stepsof a body;

FIG. 19 is a view showing a display screen when an electrode is added ininputting steps of the electrode;

FIG. 20 is a view showing a display screen when nine electrode patternsare displayed in total;

FIG. 21 is a view showing a display screen when a sectional shape of atop end of the electrode is input;

FIG. 22 is a view showing a display screen when electrode dimensions areinput;

FIG. 23 is a view showing a display screen when an interval between theelectrodes is input;

FIG. 24 is a view showing a behavior in which the input electrode isdisplayed;

FIG. 25 is a view showing a display screen when an electrode isadditionally input;

FIG. 26 is a view showing a behavior in which the added electrode isdisplayed;

FIG. 27 is a view showing a behavior in which respective partsdimensions of the electronic parts are automatically set/displayed;

FIG. 28 is a view showing a behavior in which all leads are displayed;

FIG. 29 is a view showing a behavior in which the electrodes in aleft-side group are displayed;

FIG. 30 is a view showing a behavior in which the electrode in aright-side group is displayed;

FIG. 31 is a view showing a behavior in which no electrode in anupper-side group is displayed;

FIG. 32 is a view showing a behavior in which no electrode in alower-side group is displayed;

FIG. 33 is a view showing a behavior in which a name of a recognitionalgorithm is displayed when the recognition algorithm is automaticallydecided;

FIG. 34 is a view showing a display screen when setting of opticalconditions is carried out;

FIG. 35 is a view showing a set screen of an upper-stage illumination;

FIG. 36 is a view showing a set screen of a middle-stage illumination;

FIG. 37 is a view showing a set screen of a lower-stage illumination;

FIG. 38 is a view showing a display screen via which optical conditionsare to be checked;

FIG. 39 is a view showing a display screen when the body shape, the bodycolor, and body dimensions (horizontal, vertical) are input in inputtingsteps of the body;

FIG. 40 is a view showing a display screen when electrodes are input ininputting steps of the electrode;

FIG. 41 is a view showing a behavior in which the electrode is added;

FIG. 42 is a view showing a behavior in which other electrode is added;

FIG. 43 is a view showing a behavior in which all leads are displayed;

FIG. 44 is a view showing a behavior in which electrodes in theupper-side group are displayed;

FIG. 45 is a view showing a behavior in which respective data such asparts dimensions, outer diameter of lead, number of leads, and electrodedimensions are set automatically are displayed;

FIG. 46 is a view showing a behavior in which the name of therecognition algorithm is displayed when the recognition algorithm isautomatically decided;

FIG. 47 is a view showing a display screen via which optical conditionsare to be checked;

FIG. 48 is a view showing an external appearance of a square-shaped chipparts;

FIG. 49 is a view showing an external appearance of a QFP parts;

FIG. 50 is a view showing an external appearance of a connector parts;

FIG. 51 is a view showing an input screen of the electronic parts in therelated art; and

FIG. 52 is a view showing an external appearance of another connectorparts.

In this case, in above figures, a reference 1 is parts data, 2 is aninputting means, 3 is a recognition algorithm selecting means, 4 isrecognition algorithm, 5 is parts shape data extracting means, 6 isparts recognition data, 7 is a control device, 8 is a correcting means,12 is a circuit board, 28 is a transfer head, 34 is a suction nozzle, 36is a recognizing device, 38 a to 38 d are a fitting head, 40 is anactuator, 42 is a motor, 44 is a timing belt, 52 is an operation panel,60, 70 are an electronic parts, 62, 71 are a body, 62 a, 71 a are a leftside, 62 b, 71 b are an upper side, 62 c, 71 c are a right side, 62 d,71 d are a lower side, 64, 65, 66, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80are an electrode, 85 is a plotted area, 88 is an imaging device, 89 isimage data, 90, 92 are a window, 100, 200 are an electronic partsmounting device, 213 is a mounting head, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 are arecognition algorithm, CAM1 is a small visual-field camera, CAM2 is alarge visual-field camera, Cn is a camera number, LED1 to 3 are anillumination, L1 W1, Lt, Wt, h1, Pt, Nr, Nl, Nu, Nd are a partsdimension, Nu, Nd, Nl, Nr are number of electrodes, Wt is a leadexternal shape, Ob is a body center, Op (OP_(n)) is an electrode center,Pt is an interval between electrodes, and h1 is an electrode width.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of a parts recognition data preparing method according tothe present invention will be explained in detail with reference to thedrawings hereinafter.

The present invention is a preferred parts recognition data preparingmethod when it is applied to an electronic parts mounting device shownin FIG. 1, for example, and others, and is characterized in that theparts recognition data inputting device is improved such that, when thesupplied electronic parts is picked up by a suction nozzle and thenmounted onto a circuit board by using the electronic parts mountingdevice, the operator can easily input and set the parts recognition datathat define shapes of the electronic parts, which are referred torecognize an attitude of the electronic parts held by the suctionnozzle.

Here, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electronic parts mountingdevice to which a parts recognition data preparing method according tothe present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective viewshowing a transfer head of the electronic parts mounting device. FIG. 3is a schematic plan view explaining an operation of the electronic partsmounting device.

First, a configuration of an electronic parts mounting device 100 willbe explained hereunder.

As shown in FIG. 1, guide rails 14 for a circuit board 12 are providedin the middle of an upper surface of a base 10 of the electronic partsmounting device 100. The circuit board 12 is carried from a loaderportion 16 on one end side to a mounting position 18 of the electronicparts and from the mounting position 18 to an unloader portion 20 onother end side by carrying belts of the guide rails 14. Y-tables 22, 24are provided to both side portions of the upper surface of the base 10over the circuit board 12 respectively. An X-table 26 is suspendedbetween these two Y-tables 22, 24. Also, a transfer head 28 is fitted tothe X-table 26, so that the transfer head 28 can be moved in an X-Yplane.

The transfer head 28, which is mounted onto an X-Y robot consisting ofthe X-table 26 and the Y-tables 22, 24 and moved freely on the X-Y plane(horizontal plane), is constructed such that the desired electronicparts can be sucked from a parts feeder 30, to which the electronicparts such as a resistor chip, a chip capacitor, etc. are supplied, or aparts tray 32, relatively large-sized electronic parts such as ICs ofSOP, QFP, etc., connectors, etc. are supplied, for example, by a suctionnozzle 34, then a suction attitude of the electronic parts can bedetected by a recognizing device (recognizing means) 36, and then suchdesired electronic parts can be mounted onto a predetermined position ofthe circuit board 12. Such electronic parts mounting operations arecontrolled by a control unit (main controller) (not shown) according toa mounting program that is previously set. In this case, the data can beinput into the control unit via an operation panel 52.

Here, the mounting program is such a program that converts recombinationdata, which are prepared by recombining mounting orders in response toNC information that are input into the electronic parts mounting device100 and contain the information of the electronic parts to be mounted,into instruction modes, which are used to drive the X-Y robot, nozzlesof the transfer head, etc. The preparation of this mounting program isexecuted by using the NC information, in which information of mountingpositions of respective electronic parts, etc. are recorded, and partsdata, in which information of electrode shapes, etc. of respectiveelectronic parts are registered, according to inputs from the operator.The mounting of the electronic parts onto the circuit board is executedby executing the mounting program, which is prepared in this manner, bymeans of the control unit.

A plurality of parts feeders 30 are aligned on both end portions of theguide rails 14. A tape-like parts roller into which the electronic partssuch as the resistor chip, the chip capacitor, etc., for example, areinstalled is fitted to each parts feeder respectively.

Also, the parts tray 32 can load two trays 32 a, the longitudinaldirection of which coincides with the direction perpendicular to theguide rails 14, in total thereon. Each tray 32 a is constructed to slideto the guide rail 14 side in response to the supplied number of theparts and to keep the parts taking-out position in the Y-direction at aconstant position. The electronic parts such as QFP, etc. are loaded onthis tray 32 a.

A recognizing device 36 having an attitude recognition camera, whichdetects positional displacement of the electronic parts sucked by thesuction nozzle 34 in two dimensions (suction attitude) and then causesthe transfer head 28 side to correct the suction attitude so as tocancel this positional displacement, is provided to the side portion ofthe circuit board 12 that is positioned by the guide rails 14. Theattitude recognition camera is provided on the inner bottom portion ofthe recognizing device 36. A plurality of light emitting elements suchas light emitting diodes LED, etc., which illuminate the electronicparts sucked by the suction nozzle 34, are provided like multiple-stepson the inner surface of the housing around this attitude recognitioncamera. Accordingly, the light can be irradiated onto a mounted surfaceof the electronic parts at a desired angle (e.g., 10°, 45°, 80°) andthus the image of the electronic parts can be picked up at anappropriate illumination angle in response to the type of the electronicparts. This illumination angle is set by the parts recognition dataevery electronic parts. Also, the resultant image data picked up by therecognizing device 36 are subjected to the recognizing process by thecontrol unit to recognize a center position, electrode positions, etc.of the electronic parts, and these data are supplied as correction dataof the mounting position and the angle.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transfer head 28 is constructed as a multiplehead in which a plurality (four in the present embodiment) of fittingheads (first fitting head 38 a, second fitting head 38 b, third fittinghead 38 c, fourth fitting head 38 d: parts holding means) arehorizontally aligned and coupled. Four fitting heads 38 a, 38 b, 38 c,38 d have the same structure, and each fitting head has the suctionnozzle 34, an actuator 40 for causing the suction nozzle 34 to executethe vertical operation, a motor 42 for causing the suction nozzle 34 torotate by θ, a timing belt 44, and a pulley 46.

The suction nozzle 34 of each fitting head can be exchanged. Othersuction nozzles are prepared previously in a nozzle stocker 48 on thebase 10 of the electronic parts mounting device 100. As the suctionnozzle 34, for example, there are S-size nozzle for sucking themicro-chip parts of about 1.0×0.5 mm, M-size nozzle for sucking the QFPof about 18 mm square, etc. The suction nozzle 34 is selected and usedin accordance with the type of the mounted electronic parts.

Next, an operation of the electronic parts mounting device 100 havingthe above configuration will be explained hereunder.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the circuit board 12 that is carried from theloader 16 of the guide rails 14 is transferred to a predeterminedmounting position 18, the transfer head 28 is moved in the XY-plane bythe XY-robot to suck the desired electronic parts from the parts feeder30 or the parts tray 32 based on the mounting program and then is movedover the attitude recognition camera of the recognizing device 36. Therecognizing device 36 recognizes the suction attitude of the electronicparts based on the parts recognition data to execute a correctingoperation of the suction attitude. This correcting operation is executedby providing displacement amounts in the X-direction and the Y-directionto the XY-robot as an offset or rotating the suction nozzle 34 by themotor 42 by the displacement amounts in rotational components. Then, theelectronic parts is mounted in the predetermined position of the circuitboard 12.

Respective fitting heads 38 a, 38 b, 38 c, and 38 d cause the suctionnozzle 34 to go down from the XY-plane in the perpendicular direction(Z-direction) when the electronic parts is sucked from the parts feeder30 or the parts tray 32 by the suction nozzle 34, and when theelectronic parts is mounted onto the predetermined position of thecircuit board 12. Also, the mounting operation is carried out whileexchanging the suction nozzle appropriately in response to the type ofthe electronic parts.

The mounting of the electronic parts onto the circuit board 12 iscompleted by repeating the operation of sucking the electronic parts andthe operation of mounting the electronic parts onto the circuit board12. The circuit board 12 whose mounting is completed is carried from themounting position 18 to the unloader portion 20, while the new circuitboard is carried into the loader portion 16. Then, the above operationsare repeated.

Next, flows of data processing of the parts recognition data in theabove electronic parts mounting device 100 will be explained simply byusing a block diagram shown in FIG. 4 hereunder.

As shown in FIG. 4, a shape data of the electronic parts is input by aninputting means 2 (operation panel 52) while referring to parts data 1in which various types of electronic parts are registered, then therecognition algorithm that is optimum for this input electronic parts isselected from a recognition algorithm 4 by a recognition algorithmselecting means 3, and then parts shape data that are necessary for thisselected recognition algorithm are extracted automatically from theshape data, which are input from the inputting means 2, by a parts shapedata extracting means 5, whereby parts recognition data 6 are prepared.The prepared parts recognition data 6 are input into a control device 7.Also, image data of the electronic parts, which is sucked by the suctionnozzle 34, are input from the recognizing device 36 to the controldevice 7. The control device 7 recognizes the suction attitude of theelectronic parts from the input image data based on the recognitionalgorithm that is designated by the parts recognition data 6. Inresponse to the recognized result, displacement components (ΔX, ΔY) inthe X, Y directions are corrected by the XY-robot (X-table 26, Y-tables22, 24) as a correcting means 8 and also a rotational displacementcomponent (Δθ) is corrected by the suction nozzle 34 as the correctingmeans 8.

In this case, in addition to the parts recognition data 6 that isprepared on the electronic parts mounting device 100, there may beemployed a device that prepares the parts recognition data on anexternal computer 9, which is connected to the electronic parts mountingdevice 100 via a communicating means such as the network, etc. or arecording medium such as the floppy disk, etc., and then inputs suchprepared parts recognition data into the electronic parts mountingdevice 100. According to this, the operation of preparing the partsrecognition data 6 can also be carried out in the middle of operation ofthe electronic parts mounting device 100, and thus the working operationcan be improved.

Next, procedures of preparing the parts recognition data by picking upthe image of the electronic parts, which is sucked by the suction nozzle34, by means of the recognizing device 36 to recognize the suctionattitude of the electronic parts whose image is picked up will beexplained in detail hereunder.

First, assume that recognition algorithms of the electronic parts givenin Table 1 as follows are prepared previously as the premise condition.

TABLE 1 Algorithm name Object parts Algorithm A1 Box type partsAlgorithm A2 Internal electrode type parts Algorithm A3 Externalelectrode type parts Algorithm A4 Lead type parts Algorithm A5Ball-aligned type partsThe recognition algorithms are defined in response to types of theelectronic parts shown in FIG. 5 respectively. More particularly, thealgorithm A1 is applied preferably to the box type parts such as thechip parts shown in FIG. 5A, the algorithm A2 is applied preferably tothe parts of the type in which the electrodes are present on the insideof the body shown in FIG. 5B, the algorithm A3 is applied preferably tothe parts of the type in which the electrodes are present on the outsideof the body shown in FIG. 5C, the algorithm A4 is applied preferably tothe parts of the type in which four or more electrodes are aligned onone side at an equal interval shown in FIG. 5D, and the algorithm A5 isapplied preferably to the parts of the type in which solder-ballelectrodes are aligned like a lattice shown in FIG. 5E.

Also, as the optical device, a small visual-field camera CAM1, which canpick up the visual field size of less than 10×10 mm, and a largevisual-field camera CAM2, which can pick up the visual field size ofless than 60×60 mm, are provided as the above attitude recognize camera,and also an illumination LED 1, which illuminates the mounted surface ofthe parts along the 10° direction, an illumination LED 2, whichilluminates the mounted surface of the parts along the 45° direction,and an illumination LED 3, which illuminates the mounted surface of theparts along the 80° direction, are provided. In this case, the aboveimaging ranges and illumination angles are shown as an example strictly,and they can be set arbitrarily in response to the imaging object(setting by the optical-condition setting means).

Next, the case where the parts recognition data of an electronic parts60, an external appearance of which is shown in FIG. 6, are preparedwill be explained under these premise conditions with reference toflowcharts shown in FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 hereunder.

As shown in FIG. 6, the electronic parts 60 consists of a body 62 andelectrodes 64, 65, 66. Upon preparing the parts recognition data of thiselectronic parts 60, as shown in FIG. 7, first parts data of theelectronic parts 60 such as dimensions of the body 62 and the electrodes64, 65, 66, shapes, colors, etc. are input (step 1, abbreviated as “S1”hereinafter). In the case of this electronic parts 60, parts data ofrespective portions are given in Table 2 as follows.

TABLE 2 Cen- Cen- Dimen- Dimen- ter X ter Y sion X sion Y Parts name[mm] [mm] [mm] [mm] Shape Color Type Body 61 — — 6.0 6.0 Square White —Electrode −2.5 −1.5 1.0 1.2 Square — Inter- 64 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElectrode −2.5 1.5 1.0 1.2 Square — Inter- 65 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElectrode 2.4 0 1.2 3 Square Inter- 66 (flat) nal Elec- trode

Then, respective input electrodes 64, 65, 66 are classified into groupsof a left side 62 a, an upper side 62 b, a right side 62 c, and a lowerside 62 d of the electronic parts respectively (S2). The procedures ofgrouping these electrodes will be explained with reference to aflowchart shown in FIG. 8 hereunder.

First, one side is selected from the left side 62 a, the upper side 62b, the right side 62 c, and the lower side 62 d of the body 62 of theelectronic parts 60 (S11). At first, if the grouping process is appliedto the left side 62 a, the electrodes whose centers are positioned onthe plus side in the X-direction rather than a center Ob (0, 0) of thebody 62 (the opposite side to the selected side) are excepted (S12). Atthis time, the electrode 66 is excepted since such electrode 66 ispositioned on the plus side in the X-direction rather than the center Obof the body 62.

Then, the electrodes (electrodes 64, 65) other than the exceptedelectrode (electrode 66) are ordered in order of the electrodes whosecenters Op_(n) (n is an integer indicating the number of electrodes) arecloser to the left side 62 a, i.e., in order of the smaller X coordinate(S13). At this time, the electrodes 64, 65 have the same order sincepositions of the electrode centers Op in the X-direction are the same.Then, if the electrode whose electrode center Op is smallest in theX-direction among these ordered electrodes (electrodes 64, 65) isextracted, both the electrodes 64, 65 are extracted (S14). As a result,the electrodes 64, 65 are set as group elements of the left side 62 a.

The above steps S11 to S14 are applied to respective sides (S15). First,when the upper side 62 b is grouped like the case of the left side 62 a,only the electrode 64 is extracted. Similarly, the electrode 66 isextracted with respect to the right side 62 c, and the electrode 65 isextracted with respect to the lower side 62 d.

After the electrodes are extracted and classified into groups withrespect to above respective sides, unnecessary electrodes in respectivegroups are excepted (S3). The procedures of this unnecessary electrodeexcepting process are shown in a flowchart of FIG. 9.

First, it is checked whether or not the same electrodes are containedbetween opposite sides as the group element (S21). If the sameelectrodes are contained, the same electrodes are excepted fromrespective groups on both sides (S22). In this case, since theelectrodes in the group of the left side 62 a and the right side 62 cand the group of the upper side 62 b and the lower side 62 d are notdoubly grouped, they are kept as they are.

Then, one side of respective sides is selected (S23). It is checkedwhether or not the group of the selected side is composed of threeelectrodes or less and the electrodes of the group element are containedin the neighboring other side group (S24).

If the left side 62 a is checked, the number of electrodes contained inthe group of the left side 62 a is 2 and is smaller than 3. Also, theelectrode 64 is also contained in the group of the neighboring upperside 62 b. As a result, the left side satisfies the conditions in S24.In this case, if the conditions in S24 are not satisfied, the process ofthe selected side is ended.

Then, it is checked whether or not the number of electrodes contained inthe neighboring group of the upper side 62 b is larger than 2 (S25).Since the group of the upper side 62 b is composed of the electrode 64only, the number of the electrodes is 1.

In this case, it is checked whether or not a center of the alignment ofelectrodes in the groups of the left side 62 a, the upper side 62 b ispositioned in the middle (Y=0 mm or X=0 mm) of the body 62 (S26). Atthis time, since the left side 62 a is composed of the electrodes 64,65, the center in the Y-direction is 0 mm. In contrast, since the upperside 62 b is composed of only the electrode 64, the center in theX-direction is −2.5 mm and is not positioned in the middle of the body62. Therefore, the electrode is excepted from the group of the upperside 62 b.

In this case, if the number of electrodes contained in the group of theneighboring upper side 62 b is larger than 2, the electrode is exceptedfrom the group of its own left side 62 a (S27).

Also, if the check in S24 is applied to the lower side 62 d that is inthe opposite neighborhood to the left side 62 a, the electrode 65 iscontained in both the left side 62 a and the lower side 62 d. Therefore,if the decision is made in the similar way to the case of the upper side62 b, the electrode 65 is excepted from the group of the lower side 62 d(S26).

Then, above steps S18 to S22 are applied to all sides (S28). Here, ifthe right side 62 c in the group element of which the electrode stillremains solely is checked, the electrode 66 of the right side 62 c isnot contained in the neighboring upper side 62 b and the neighboringlower side 62 d. Therefore, the conditions in S24 are not satisfied, theelectrodes are kept as they are.

In this manner, when the electrodes 64, 65, 66 are classified intogroups, results are shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Left side Upper side Right side Lower side Electrodes NothingElectrode Nothing 64, 65 66

Two electrodes are present on the left side 62 a, but size, shape, typeof these electrodes are identical. Here, all electrodes can be regardedas the detected object and thus no electrode except the detected objectis present in the electronic parts 60.

Then, the parts recognition algorithm that is fitted to the aboveelectronic parts 60 is decided (S4) Since all the electrodes 64, 65, 66have a square (flat) shape and are not the solder-ball electrode, thealgorithm A5 is not applied to them. Also, since the number ofelectrodes constituting the groups of four sides is below 4 on all sidesrespectively, the algorithm A4 cannot be applied to them. In addition,since all types of the electrodes 64, 65, 66 are the internal electrode,the algorithm A3 cannot be applied to them. Further, since theelectrodes 64, 65, 66 cannot be discriminated as the internal electrodesunless the electrodes 64, 65, 66 have contrast to the body 62, thecontrast between the body 62 and the electrodes 64, 65, 66 isconsidered. At this time, since the color of the body 62 of theelectronic parts 60 is white, the contrast to the electrodes as themetal surface cannot be sufficiently obtained and thus it may beconsidered that it is difficult to detect the electrodes 64, 65, 66.Therefore, the algorithm A2 cannot be applied to them. Conversely, sincethe body 62 is a quadrangle and all surfaces of the body 62 reflect theillumination light in picking up the image, it can be expected that theimage of the body 62 is picked up brightly. Therefore, it is decidedthat the algorithm A1 that can recognize the box-like parts can beapplied to them.

Then, since the algorithm A1 is set as above, parts shape data necessaryfor the algorithm A1 are extracted (S5). As shown in FIG. 5A, thealgorithm A1 needs only the parts dimensions L1, W1. Therefore, L1=6 mmand W1=6 mm are set from the dimensions of the body 62 as the partsshape data. In this case, the parts shape data are set automaticallybased on the already-input parts data shown in Table 2.

Then, optical conditions are decided (S6). Because a maximum dimensionof the electronic parts 60 is 6 mm ×6 mm, the small visual-field cameraCAM1 can be used in this case. Also, since the algorithm A1 that doesnot detect the electrode as above is selected, it is desired that theillumination should be set as bright as possible to make it easy todetect the shape of the body 62. Therefore, the illumination light isset to irradiate the parts by using all the illuminations LED1, LED2,LED3.

According to above steps, the parts recognition data of the electronicparts 60 are prepared. In this manner, if the parts recognition data ofall types of the electronic parts, which are to be mounted onto thecircuit board, are prepared respectively, suction attitude of theelectronic parts held by the suction nozzle can be recognized without isfail based on the parts recognition data. Then, the mounting position ofthe electronic parts onto the circuit board can be corrected preciselyin response to the recognized suction attitude of the electronic parts.

According to the parts recognition data preparing method of the presentembodiment, if information of the body and the electrodes of theelectronic parts are input, the recognition algorithm suitable for thiselectronic parts is set, and then the parts shape data required for therecognizing process executed by this recognition algorithm areautomatically extracted from the input information of the body and theelectrodes. Accordingly, since the information of the body and theelectrodes of the electronic parts, which are required for therecognizing process executed by this recognition algorithm, areautomatically input without sequential inputting, the electronic partsdata can be prepared precisely and quickly unless the operator isconscious of the characteristic of the recognition algorithm.

Next, a second embodiment of the parts recognition data preparing methodaccording to the present embodiment will be explained hereunder. Thepresent embodiment formulates the electronic parts data of an electronicparts 70 whose external appearance is shown in FIG. 10.

This electronic parts 70 consists of a body 71, and electrodes 72, 73 to79, 80 that are aligned on one side of the body 71. The partsrecognition data of the electronic parts 70 can be formulated based onthe procedures that are similar to the first embodiment shown in aboveFIG. 7 to FIG. 9.

First, parts data of the electronic parts 70 such as dimensions of thebody 71 and the electrodes 72, 73 to 79, 80, shapes, colors, etc. areinput (S1). In the case of this electronic parts 70, parts data ofrespective portions are given in Table 4 as follows.

TABLE 4 Cen- Cen- Dimen- Dimen- Parts ter X ter Y sion sion name [mm][mm] X [mm] Y [mm] Shape Color Type Body 71 — — 6.0 6.0 Square Black —Elec- −7.0 −3.0 1.4 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 72 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElec- −4.5 −3.0 0.7 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 73 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElec- −3.0 −3.0 0.7 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 74 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElec- −1.5 −3.0 0.7 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 75 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElec- 0.0 −3.0 0.7 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 76 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElec- 1.5 −3.0 0.7 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 77 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElec- 3.0 −3.0 0.7 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 78 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElec- 4.5 −3.0 0.7 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 79 (flat) nal Elec- trodeElec- 7.0 −3.0 0.7 2.0 Square — Exter- trode 80 (flat) nal Elec- trode

Then, respective input electrodes 72, 73 to 79, 80 are classified intogroups of a left side 71 a, an upper side 71 b, a right side 71 c, and alower side 71 d of the electronic parts respectively (S2). Like the caseof the first embodiment, this grouping method will be explained withreference to FIG. 8 hereunder.

First, one side is selected from respective sides of the body 71 of theelectronic parts 70 (S11). At first, if the grouping process is appliedto the left side 71 a, the electrodes whose centers are positioned onthe plus side in the X-direction in contrast to a center Ob (0, 0) ofthe body 71 (the opposite side to the selected side) are excepted (S12).At this time, the electrodes 76 to 79, 80 are excepted since suchelectrodes are positioned on the plus side in the X-direction incontrast to the center Ob of the body 71.

Then, the electrodes (electrodes 72, 73 to 75) other than the exceptedelectrodes (electrodes 76 to 79, 80) are ordered in order of theelectrodes whose centers Op_(n) are closer to the left side 71 a, i.e.,in order of the smaller X coordinate (S13). At this time, theseelectrodes are ordered in order of the electrodes 72, 73, 74, and 75.Then, if the electrode whose electrode center Op is smallest in theX-direction among these ordered electrodes is extracted, only theelectrode 72 is extracted (S14). As a result, the electrode 72 is set asgroup element of the left side 71 a.

The above steps S11 to S14 are applied to respective sides (S15). First,if the upper side 71 b is grouped like the case of the left side 71 a,the electrodes 72, 73 to 79, 80 are extracted. Similarly, the electrode80 is extracted with respect to the right side 71 c, and no electrode isextracted with respect to the lower side 71 d. Then, unnecessaryelectrodes in respective groups are excepted (S3). As shown in FIG. 9,first it is checked whether or not the same electrodes are containedbetween opposite sides as the group element (S21). In this case, sinceall electrodes do not correspond, they are kept as they are.

Then, one side of respective sides is selected (S23). It is checkedwhether or not the group of the selected side is composed of threeelectrodes or less and also the electrodes of the group element arecontained in the neighboring other side group (S24). First, if the leftside 71 a is checked, the electrode 72 is also contained in the group ofthe neighboring upper side 71 b. Since the neighboring upper side 71 bconsists of 9 electrodes, the electrode 72 is excepted from the group ofthe left side 71 a. Then, the side having the number of electrodes whichis smaller than 3 is the right side 71 c. If the decision is made likethe case of the left side 71 a, the electrode 80 is excepted from thegroup of the right side 71 c. After the electrodes are grouped in thismanner, the results of excepted electrodes are given in Table 5.

TABLE 5 Cen- Dimen- Dimen- Inter- Parts Center ter sion sion val Numbername X [mm] Y [mm] X [mm] Y [mm] X [mm] of parts Shape Type Electrodes0.0 −3.0 0.7 2.0 1.5 7 Square External 73-79 electrode

In this case, nine electrodes are present in the group of the upper side71 b, but the electrodes 72, 80 and the electrodes 73 to 79 havedifferent size and alignment interval. Therefore, the electrodes 72, 80that are positioned on both sides are excepted from the recognizedobject. Then, if the electrodes on other sides are also grouped like theabove method, results are given in Table 6.

TABLE 6 Cen- Dimen- Dimen- Inter- Parts Center ter sion sion val Numbername X [mm] Y [mm] X [mm] Y [mm] X [mm] of parts Shape Type Electrodes 0−3.0 1.4 2.0 14.0 2 Square External 72, 80-79 (flat) electrode

Then, the adaptive parts recognition algorithm is set (S4). Since thegroup of the upper side 71 b of this electronic parts 70 consist ofseven electrodes 73 to 79 and all shapes are a square (flat) shape, thealgorithm A4 can be applied.

Here, since the algorithm A4 is set, parts shape data necessary for thealgorithm A4 are extracted (S5). As shown in FIG. 5D, the algorithm A4needs the parts dimensions L1, W1, Lt, Wt, h1, Pt, Nr, Nl, Nu, Nd.Therefore, the above parts dimensions are set to values shown in Table 7by extracting them from the parts data of the body 62 and the electrodes73 to 79.

TABLE 7 Left side Upper side Right side Lower side Nothing ElectrodesNothing Nothing 72-80

Then, the optical conditions are set (S6). Because a maximum dimensionof the electronic parts 70 is 17.0 mm×6 mm, the large visual-fieldcamera CAM2 can be used in this case. Also, since the algorithm A4 thatdoes not detect the electrode as above is selected and the shape of theelectrodes is flat, the illumination LED2 that irradiates the mountedsurface of the electronic parts 70 at an angle of 45° is used as theillumination light.

According to above steps, the parts recognition data of the electronicparts 70 are prepared. In this manner, according to the partsrecognition data preparing method of the present embodiment, the sameadvantages as the first embodiment can be achieved.

Next, a third embodiment of the parts recognition data preparing methodaccording to the present invention will be explained hereunder. Thepresent embodiment prepares the parts recognition data while plottingthe shape of the electronic parts shown in FIG. 10, for example, basedon the input data.

Here, FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing procedures of preparing the partsrecognition data. FIG. 12 is a view showing behaviors of preparing theparts recognition data of the electronic parts 70 while plotting them.

There are various modes as the plotting method. For example, there arethe case where the shape of the electronic parts is displayed bycombining line drawings, the case where the shape of the electronicparts is displayed by selecting the shape of the sample and thenchanging parameters such as size, position, etc., and others. Thesemodes can be set arbitrarily. In the present embodiment, in order toinput the data more simply and precisely, the mode for displaying theshape of the electronic parts automatically by inputting thelowest-minimum data such as size, position, shape, color, etc. isemployed.

The parts recognition data preparing method of the present embodimentwill be explained with reference to FIG. 11 hereunder.

First, in order to plot the body 71, the data of dimension, shape, andcolor are input as shown in Table 8 (S31).

TABLE 8 Left side Upper side Right side Lower side Nothing ElectrodesNothing Nothing 73-79

In this case, the inputting operation can be simplified by employing thedevice of selecting the shape and the color from the previously-selectedcandidates. According to these inputs, the body 71 is plotted anddisplayed in a plotting area 85 on the display screen by a displayingmeans such as a monitor, or the like shown in FIG. 12A (S32).

Then, the plotting of the electrodes 72 to 79 is executed. Two types ofelectrodes, e.g., the electrodes 72, 80 and the electrodes 73 to 79 arecontained in the electronic parts 70. At first, data of the electrodes73 to 79 are input (S33). As this inputting method, it is possible toinput data of individual electrodes one by one, otherwise it is possibleto input data of the electrodes, which are aligned at the same interval,collectively. In the case of the present embodiment, data of theelectrodes are input collectively by inputting the parts data shown inTable 9.

TABLE 9 Parts L1 17.0 dimension W1 4.0 [mm] Lead Lt 17.0 dimension Wt6.0 [mm] Electrode h1 0.7 dimension Pt 1.5 [mm] Number of Nl 0Electrodes Nr 0 Nu 7 Nd 0

That is, center positions of individual electrodes are calculated fromthe parts data in which intervals between the electrodes and the numberof electrodes shown in Table 9 are contained, and then figures of theelectrodes 73 to 79 are displayed in the plotting area 85 as shown inFIG. 12B (S34). In this case, if a distance between electrode centers of9 mm on both ends of the electrode is input in place of the number ofelectrodes, the data input of the electrodes may be executed by theintervals between the electrodes and the number of electrodes.

Similarly, the inputting of the electrodes 72, 80 can be done as shownin Table 10.

TABLE 10 Cen- Cen- Dimen- Dimen- ter X ter Y sion sion Parts name [mm][mm] X [mm] Y [mm] Shape Color Type Body 71 — — 17.0 4.0 Square Black —

That is, as shown in FIG. 12C, figures of the electrodes 72, 80 areplotted in the plotting area 85 by inputting the parts data in which theintervals between the electrodes and the number of electrodes given inTable 10 are contained.

Accordingly, the data inputting and the plotting of all electrodes havebeen completed (S35). Then, it is decided whether or not positions ofthe electrodes are input rightly (S36). More particularly, since allfigures of the electrodes 72 to 80 are the external electrodes, centersof these electrodes must be positioned on the outside of the figure ofthe body 71. All Y-coordinates of the electrode centers are −3.0 mm, andthe end of the body 71 is located at −2.0 mm since the body center islocated at 0 mm and the dimension of the body 71 in the Y-direction is 4mm. Therefore, it can be decided that respective electrodes 72 to 80 arepositioned on the outside of the figure of the body 71. As a result, itis decided that the input parts data are right, and thus the datainputting is completed.

According to the parts recognition data preparing method of the presentembodiment, if the body shape is plotted from the input information ofthe body and also the electrode shape is plotted from the inputinformation of the electrode, it can be decided by checking visuallywhether or not plotted positional relationships between the body and theelectrode are correct. Accordingly, such plotted positionalrelationships can be checked at an instant in contrast to the case wherethe plotted positional relationships are decided only by the numericaldata, so that it can be checked simply and quickly whether or not theinput information are correct.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the parts recognition data preparing methodaccording to the present invention will be explained hereunder. In thepresent embodiment, the parts recognition data are prepared byextracting such data from the image data obtained by picking up theimage of the electronic parts.

Here, FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing procedures of preparing the partsrecognition data. FIG. 14 is a view showing conceptually a behavior ofpicking up images of the parts recognition data of the electronic parts70. FIG. 15 is a view showing behaviors of extracting the partsrecognition data from the picked-up image data. In this case,explanation will be made by using the electronic parts shown in FIG. 10as an example.

The parts recognition data preparing method of the present embodimentwill be explained with reference to FIG. 13 hereunder.

First, as shown in FIG. 14, image data 89 is obtained by picking up animage of the electronic parts 70 by virtue of an imaging device 88(S41). It is desired that the imaging device 88 should be employedcommonly with the attitude recognition camera that recognizes actuallythe electronic parts by the recognizing device 36 in the electronicparts mounting device 100. However, if the imaging magnification of theimaging device 88 can be grasped correctly, the imaging device is notlimited to such imaging device, and the common digital camera, scanner,or the like may be employed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15A, an area that corresponds to the body 71 ofthe electronic parts 70 in the image data 89 is set by providing awindow 90 based on the inputting operation from the inputting means 2(S42). Then, the precise edge of the body 71 is detected from theposition near the set window 90, brightness (pixel concentration) ofwhich is changed, and then body information such as the shape of thebody 71, the center position of the body 71, etc. are extracted from thedetected edge information (S43). Since the center position of the body71 is set to (0, 0) for convenience of data, the resultant centerposition gives an offset value employed in the calculation of the centerpositions of the electrodes described in the following. Also, if theimaging device 88 can pick up the color image, color data of the body 71can be extracted from the internal area of the edge. In this case, ifthe imaging device can input the black-and-white image only, thebrightness (concentration) information can be extracted in place of thecolor information.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15B, an area corresponding to the electrode 72 isindicated by a window 92 (S44). Then, a precise edge of the electrode 72is detected from the position near the instructed window 92, abrightness of which is changed, and then the electrode information suchas a shape of the electrode 72, an electrode center position, etc. areextracted from the detected edge information (S45). The electrode centerposition is calculated by using an offset value that is obtained fromthe above center of the body 71. In addition, since it can be decidedbased on the positional relationship to the body 71 whether or not theelectrode 72 is the internal electrode type or the external electrodetype, the type of the electrode 72 can also be extracted. In the case ofthe illustrated example, since the electrode 72 is positioned on theoutside of the body, it can be decided that the electrode is theexternal electrode. Also, data of the color or the concentration can beextracted from the internal area of the window 92. Similarly, theextraction of the parts recognition data of the electrodes 73 to 80 iscarried out subsequently, and thus the data inputting is completed(S46).

In this case, in the parts recognition data preparing method of thepresent embodiment for preparing the data of the electronic parts fromthe image data, data of the body 71 and the electrode 72 to 80 are inputmanually from the inputting means 2. If the images of the body 71 andthe electrode 72 to 80 can have the sufficient contrast to thebackground, it can be facilitated to extract automatically a body areaand electrode areas as candidates from the image data. According tothis, a burden on the operator can be reduced and also the partsrecognition data can be formulated more simply.

In mounting the electronic parts that has not been registered in theparts data, first the parts data of the electronic parts must beprepared. In the related art, such parts data are input one by one.Therefore, unless the operator has known well input items in details,such operator consumes much time in the inputting operation to input theparts data. However, according to the parts recognition data preparingmethod of the present embodiment, the parts recognition data can beprepared automatically by picking up simply the image of the electronicparts to be input. Therefore, the parts recognition data can be obtainedsimply and quickly not to require the skill on the data inputting.

In this manner, according to the parts recognition data preparing methodof the present embodiment, the information of the body and theelectrodes can be acquired from the image data of the body area and theelectrode area by pointing the area, which corresponds to the bodyportion, and the area, which corresponds to the electrode portion of theelectronic parts, to the image data that are obtained by picking up theimage of the electronic parts. Hence, information of the parts shapedata such as dimension, color or concentration, etc. of the body and theparts shape data such as dimension, number, alignment pitch of theelectrodes, etc. can be extracted automatically, and thus there is noneed to input respective data one by one. Therefore, the preparation ofthe parts recognition data can be simplified much more.

Here, the data required to prepare the above parts recognition data canbe input directly from the operation panel 52 of the electronic partsmounting device 100 to the control unit. Otherwise, the partsrecognition data can be prepared by the external computer on the outsideof the electronic parts mounting device 100 and then be input into theelectronic parts mounting device 100 via the recording medium or theelectric connection.

The parts recognition data preparing method according to the presentinvention explained as above may be applied to not only theconfiguration having a multiple head in which a plurality of fittingheads are coupled, like the electronic parts mounting device 100 shownin FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, but also the configuration having a rotary headthat can execute the high-speed mounting.

Here, an external appearance of the overall electronic parts mountingdevice having the rotary head is shown in FIG. 16. A schematicconfiguration of a parts fitting mechanism of this electronic partsmounting device is shown in FIG. 17.

As shown in FIG. 16, an electronic parts mounting device 200 comprisesmainly a parts supplying portion 201 for supplying the electronic parts,a rotary head 203 for sucking the electronic parts at a predeterminedparts supplying position on the parts supplying portion 201 to fit it tothe circuit board, an X-Y table 205 for positioning the circuit board,and a recognizing device 206 for recognizing the suction attitude of thesucked electronic parts. The electronic parts mounting device 200 putsthe circuit board supplied from a loader portion 207 on the X-Y table205, then fits the electronic parts by the rotary head 203, thenrecognizes the suction attitude by the recognizing device 206, then fitsthe electronic parts while correcting the mounting position in responseto the recognized suction attitude, and then carries out the circuitboard, the fitting of the parts onto which is completed, to an unloaderportion 209 from the X-Y table 205.

As shown in FIG. 17, in the parts supplying portion 201, a plurality ofparts supplying units 211 in which a number of electronic parts arecontained are aligned in the vertical direction to a surface of thesheet, and move in the direction perpendicular to the alignment tosupply a desired electronic parts to a predetermined parts supplyingposition.

The X-Y table 205 is provided movably between the loader portion 207 andthe unloader portion 209. The X-Y table 205 moves to a position, whichis connected to a board carrying path of the loader portion 207, toreceive the circuit board to which the parts is to be fitted, then fixesthe circuit board, and then moves to a parts fitting position of therotary head 203. At this time, the X-Y table 205 repeats the transfer ofthe circuit board in response to the fitting position of each electronicparts, then moves to a position, which is connected to the unloaderportion 209, when the parts fitting is completed, and then sends out thecircuit board to the unloader portion 209.

The rotary head 203 comprises a plurality of fitting heads 213 forsucking the electronic parts, a rotating frame body 215 rotated anddriven to support the fitting heads 213 movably in the verticaldirection by its peripheral surface, and an intermittently-rotateddriving unit (not shown) for index-rotating/driving the rotating framebody 215.

The fitting heads 213 turn/move continuously from the parts supplyingposition of the parts supplying portion 201 to the parts fittingposition on the opposite side according to the turn of the rotatingframe body 215, then execute a downward operation at the parts supplyingposition of the parts supplying portion 201 to suck the electronicparts, then recognizes the suction attitude of the electronic parts at acertain parts recognizing position of the recognizing device 206, andthen execute a downward operation at the parts fitting position of therotary head 203 to fit the electronic parts onto the circuit board.

The parts recognition data preparing method of the above embodiments canalso be applied to the electronic parts mounting device 200 having suchrotary head, and the similar advantages can be achieved.

Also, the parts recognition data preparing method of the presentinvention is not limited to the parts recognition data preparation ofthe sucked parts in the electronic parts mounting device. For example,the parts recognition data preparing method of the present invention canbe applied preferably to not only the parts data preparation for theinspection program preparation of the electronic parts solderinginspecting device but also various equipments that need the recognitionof the electronic parts.

EXAMPLES

Next, steps of preparing the parts recognition data of the electronicparts 60 shown in FIG. 6 and the electronic parts 70 shown in FIG. 10 byusing the programmed computer will be explained with reference todisplay screens of a monitor shown in FIG. 18 to FIG. 47 hereinafter.

First, steps of preparing the parts recognition data of the electronicparts 60 shown in FIG. 6 will be explained hereunder.

As shown in FIG. 18, in inputting steps of the body, body shape, bodycolor, and body dimensions (horizontal, vertical) are input. Then, anexternal appearance of the body 62 is displayed on the right side of ascreen based on input data.

Then, as shown in FIG. 19, the process goes to inputting steps of theelectrode. First, an “add” button is clicked to add newly the electrode64. Then, nine electrode patterns shown in FIG. 20 are displayed intotal, where it is selected to which type the input electrode belongs.In the case of the electronic parts 60, “Mounted-surface type” isselected since the electrode is present on the mounted surface.

Then, as shown in FIG. 21, a sectional shape of the top end of theelectrode is input. As the electrode shape, there are “Flat surfacetype” whose sectional shape is a rectangle and “Curved surface type”whose sectional shape is a circle. Here “Flat surface type” is selected.

Then, as shown in FIG. 22, electrode dimensions are input. Since theelectrode has dimensions of horizontal 1.00 mm and vertical 1.20 mm,these numerical values are input. Here, only one addition and plural(horizontal alignment, vertical alignment, lattice alignment) additioncan be selected as the addition of electrode. Therefore, because theelectrode 64 and the electrode 65 have the same shape, “Pluralelectrodes (vertical alignment) added” is selected and then theelectrode dimensions are input simultaneously.

Then, as shown in FIG. 23, a screen into which an interval between theelectrodes is input is displayed. Here, any one of an alignment distanceof electrodes and the number of electrodes, and a distance between theelectrodes are input. In this case, 2 and 3.0 mm are input as the numberof electrodes and the distance between the electrodes respectively.According to these input data, as shown in FIG. 24, two electrodes 64,65 are displayed on the right side of the screen. Then, center positionsof these two electrodes are set to X=−2.5 mm and Y=0 mm respectively,and the electrodes 64, 65 are registered as Group 001.

Then, data inputting of the electrode 66 is executed by selecting “Add”shown in FIG. 24. As shown in FIG. 25, the electrode dimensions(horizontal, vertical) are input, and then “Only one electrode (single)added” is selected. Then, as shown in FIG. 26, the electrode 66 is newlydisplayed together with registered electrodes in Group 001. Thepositions of the displayed electrode 66 are set to X=2.4 mm, Y=0 mm, andthe electrode 66 is registered as Lead 001.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 27, respective parts dimensions of theelectronic parts 60 are automatically set and displayed. At this time,the processes in the grouping S2 and the unnecessary electrode exceptionS3 shown in FIG. 7 are carried out automatically.

Now, as shown in FIG. 28, if all leads of the electronic parts 60 are tobe displayed, the electrodes 64, 65, 66 are displayed in the internalposition of the body 62 as shown on the right side of the figure. Onthis screen, the electrodes used to calculate the part center, i.e., theelectrodes used in the parts recognition can be designated. In the caseof this parts, since all electrodes 64, 65, 66 are used to recognize,all electrodes 64, 65, 66 are encircled by a white frame and displayed.

Also, as shown in FIG. 29, if a left-side group is to be displayed, theelectrodes 64, 65 are displayed, which indicates that the electrodes 64,65 are contained in the left-side group.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 30, if a right-side group is to bedisplayed, the electrode 66 is displayed. As shown in FIG. 31 and FIG.32, if upper-side and lower-side groups are to be displayed, noelectrode is contained in these groups. Thus, no electrode is displayedon the screen.

Then, as shown in FIG. 33, decision of the recognition algorithm (S4) isautomatically executed, and the decided recognition algorithm isdisplayed. In this case, the box-type (above algorithm A1) recognitionalgorithm is set.

Then, the extraction of the parts shape data (S5) is executed, and thenthe setting of the optical conditions (S6) is executed. As shown in FIG.34, the large visual-field camera out of the large visual-field cameraand the small visual-field camera is set as the two-dimensional sensorprovided to the electronic parts mounting device 100. The type of thecamera is selected automatically according to the size of the electronicparts 60.

Then, illumination conditions are set. As the illumination, three typesof illuminations, i.e., upper-stage illumination, middle-stageillumination, lower-stage illumination can be set individually.

First, a set screen of the upper-stage illumination is shown in FIG. 35.The upper-stage illumination signifies that the illumination light isirradiated to the mounted surface of the electronic parts at a shallowillumination angle in the substantially lateral direction. Here, theillumination light is irradiated from the position that has theillumination angle of about 14°. Also, a quantity of light can bechanged up to four stages from 0 to 3. In this case, if the illuminatedobject such as “the case where its sectional shape is flat”, “the casewhere its sectional shape is curved”, etc., to which the upper-stageillumination should be applied preferably, is displayed together everystage and also the illumination angle is illustrated to explain, notonly the operator can understood clearly the meaning of the inputcontents but also setting of a quantity of light can be carried outsimply without the heuristics. Thus, generation of the input error andthe false data input can be prevented as much as possible.

Also, FIG. 36 shows a set screen of the middle-stage illumination. Themiddle-stage illumination irradiates the illumination light to themounted surface of the electronic parts at the irradiation angle thathas an intermediate angle between the upper-stage illumination and thelower-stage illumination. Here, the illumination light is irradiatedfrom the position that has the illumination angle of about 45°. Aquantity of light can be changed up to eight stages from 0 to 7. Forexample, when a quantity of light to be set is not clear, it can bepointed out clearly by displaying “Designate 4 normally”, or the like towhich level the quantity of light should be set, or the like. In theparticular case, it can be indicated by displaying “Set to 0 if the typeis 105”, or the like that the quantity of light should be set to theparticular stage. As a result, the operator is never worried about theinput contents, and the smooth inputting can be achieved.

In addition, FIG. 37 shows a set screen of the lower-stage illumination.The lower-stage illumination irradiates the illumination light to themounted surface of the electronic parts in the substantially verticaldirection. Here, the illumination light is irradiated from the positionthat has the illumination angle of about 80°. When the set quantity oflight is not appropriate, it can be pointed out clearly by displaying“Turn ON more strongly if the body is dark”, or the like how suchtrouble should be dealt with. As a result, the guide to the correctioncan be indicated to the operator, and thus the good condition can be setquickly.

If the above optical conditions are set, a display screen shown in FIG.38, via which the optical conditions are to be checked, is displayed. Ifthe set contents are to be changed, the inputting operation can be doneover again by retuning to the above-mentioned set screen appropriately.If the set contents that have been input are acceptable, the inputtingoperation is ended by clicking “End”.

According to above setting operations, the preparation of the partsrecognition data is completed. If the parts recognition data areprepared by the inputting method, a time required for the preparationcan be reduced considerably and also a burden of the operator can bereduced, and in addition the data inputting can be executed smoothly notto hesitate the inputting.

Next, steps of preparing the parts recognition data of the electronicparts 70 shown in FIG. 10 will be explained hereunder. Here, explanationwill be made while omitting the same set screens as those in preparingsteps of the parts recognition data about the above electronic parts 60.

First, as shown in FIG. 39, in inputting steps of the body, when thebody shape, the body color, and body dimensions (horizontal, vertical)are input, an external appearance of the body 71 is displayed on theright side of the screen based on the input data.

Then, the process goes to inputting steps of the electrode, andpositions of the electrodes 73 to 79 are input together. The result isshown in FIG. 40. Then, as shown in FIG. 41, the electrode 71 is added.Then, as shown in FIG. 42, the electrode 80 is input in addition.

After the above inputting steps are completed, the result shown in FIG.43 is obtained if all leads are displayed. In other words, theelectrodes 72, 73 to 79, 80 that are aligned on the upper side of thebody 71 are displayed. Here the electrodes 72, 80 are set as theelectrode not used in the parts recognition and are grouped. Then, asshown in FIG. 44, the electrodes 72, 80 are deleted and only theelectrodes 73 to 79 still remain in the upper-side group.

When the inputting of the electrodes is completed, the parts shape datasuch as parts dimensions, outer diameter of the lead, number of leads,and electrode dimensions are set automatically, as shown in FIG. 45.

Then, as shown in FIG. 46, the recognition algorithm that is fitted tothis electronic parts 70 is set as “Lead type” based on the input partsshape data.

In addition, if the setting of the optical conditions is executed, adisplay screen, as shown in FIG. 47, via which optical conditions are tobe checked is displayed. If the displayed conditions are acceptable, theprocess is ended by clicking “End”.

According to above setting operations, the preparation of the partsrecognition data is completed. If the parts recognition data areprepared by this inputting method, a time required for the preparationcan be reduced considerably and also a burden of the operator can bereduced, and in addition the data inputting can be executed smoothly notto hesitate the inputting.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the parts recognition data preparing method and preparingdevice of the present invention, since the information of the body andthe electrodes of the electronic parts, which are required for therecognizing process executed by this recognition algorithm, areautomatically input without sequential inputting, the electronic partsdata can be prepared precisely and quickly unless the operator isconscious of the characteristic of the recognition algorithm. Also,since the data are input while checking visually, check can be executedat an instant and thus it can be checked simply and quickly whether ornot the input information is correct or false. In addition, sinceinformation of the body and the electrodes can be extracted from thearea, which corresponds to the body portion of the electronic parts, andthe area, which corresponds to the electrode parts, of the image dataobtained by picking up the image of the electronic parts, there is noneed to input respective data one by one and also the preparation of theparts recognition data can be simplified much more.

Also, according to the electronic parts mounting device of the presentinvention, since the suction attitude of the electronic parts held bythe suction nozzle can be recognized by the recognizing device based onthe prepared parts recognition data and also the mounting position ofthe electronic parts onto the circuit board can be corrected preciselyby the correcting means in response to the recognized suction attitudeof the electronic parts, the electronic parts can be mounted onto thepredetermined position of the circuit board stably with good precision.

Also, according to the recording medium of the present invention, sincethe recorded program is executed, the information of the body and theelectrodes of the electronic parts, which is required for therecognizing process executed by the recognition algorithm, can be inputautomatically without sequential inputting, and also the partsrecognition data can be prepared precisely and is quickly not to knowparticularly the characteristic of the recognition algorithm.

1. A parts recognition data preparing method applied to a device, whichrecognizes electronic parts based on image data obtained by picking upan image of the electronic parts, for preparing parts recognition datain which recognition conditions of the electronic parts are recorded,said method comprising the steps of: inputting information of a body andelectrodes of an electronic part; identifying an electronic part typebased on the inputted information of the body and the electrodes of theelectronic part; selecting, based on the identified electronic parttype, a recognition algorithm that recognizes the electronic part,wherein the recognition algorithm is adaptive to the identifiedelectronic part type; automatically extracting electronic part shapedata, which are required for a recognizing process executed by therecognition algorithm; grouping the electrodes for every side of anouter periphery of the body to create a plurality of electrode groups;excepting electrodes that are overlapped among respective electrodegroups; wherein the step of grouping includes the steps of: exceptingelectrodes that are present on an opposite side to a selected side fromthe electrode group that corresponds to the selected side; ranking theelectrodes in the electrode group that corresponds to the selected sideaccording to their respective positions on the electronic part; andextracting at least one of the electrodes in the electrode group thatcorresponds to the selected side based on a result of the step ofranking.
 2. The parts recognition data preparing method according toclaim 1, further comprising the step of: inputting optimum opticalconditions adaptive to the identified electronic part type for pickingup an image of the electronic part.
 3. The parts recognition datapreparing method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:plotting and displaying a body shape based on the inputted informationof the body; plotting and displaying electrode shapes based on theinputted information of the electrodes; and visually determining whetheror not plotted and displayed positional relationships between the bodyand the electrodes are correct.
 4. The parts recognition data preparingmethod according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: picking upan image of the electronic part; designating an area, which correspondsto a body portion, to image data of the electronic part; designatingadditional areas, which correspond to electrode portions, to the imagedata of the electronic part; and acquiring information of the body fromthe designated body area and acquiring information of the electrodesfrom the designated electrode area; wherein parts recognition data areprepared by using information acquired by the acquiring informationstep.
 5. A parts recognition data preparing device used to recognizeelectronic parts based on image data obtained by picking up an image ofthe electronic parts, for preparing parts recognition data in whichrecognition conditions of the electronic parts are recorded, said devicecomprising: an inputting means for inputting information of a body andelectrodes of an electronic part; a recognition algorithm selectingmeans for identifying an electronic part type based on input informationof the body and the electrodes and then selecting, based on theidentified electronic part type, a recognition algorithm that recognizesthe electronic part, wherein the recognition algorithm is adaptive tothe identified electronic part type; and a parts shape data extractingmeans for extracting automatically parts shape data, which are requiredfor a recognizing process executed by the selected recognitionalgorithm, from the input information of the body and the electrodes,wherein the electrodes are grouped for every side of an outer peripheryof the body to create a plurality of electrode groups, such that:electrodes that are present on an opposite side to a selected side areexcepted from the electrode group that corresponds to the selected side,and the electrodes in the electrode group that corresponds to theselected side are ranked according to their respective positions on theelectronic part and, based upon a result thereof, at least one of theelectrodes in the electrode group that corresponds to the selected sideis extracted, and further wherein electrodes that are overlapped amongrespective electrode groups are excepted.
 6. The parts recognition datapreparing device according to claim 5, further comprising: anoptical-condition setting means for setting optical conditions thatpermit the picking up of the image of the electronic parts under optimumconditions, which are adaptive to the identified electronic part type.7. The parts recognition data preparing device according to claim 5,further comprising: a displaying means for displaying the information ofthe body and the electrodes, which are input from the inputting means,on a screen.
 8. The parts recognition data preparing device according toany one of claims 6 and 7, wherein the inputting means extracts from theimage data obtained by picking up the image of the electronic parts theinformation of the body and the electrodes of the electronic parts toinput.
 9. A parts recognition data preparing method applied to a device,which recognizes electronic parts based on image data obtained bypicking up an image of the electronic parts, for preparing partsrecognition data in which recognition conditions of the electronic partsare recorded, said method comprising the steps of: inputting informationof a body and electrodes of an electronic part; identifying anelectronic part type based on the inputted information of the body andthe electrodes of the electronic part; selecting a recognition algorithmbased on the identified electronic part type, wherein the recognitionalgorithm is adaptive to the identified electronic part type;automatically extracting electronic part shape data, which are requiredfor a recognizing process executed by the recognition algorithm;inputting optimum optical conditions adaptive to the identifiedelectronic part type for picking up an image of the electronic part;grouping the electrodes for every side of an outer periphery of the bodyto create a plurality of electrode groups; and excepting electrodes thatare overlapped among respective electrode groups and electrodes that arenot used to recognize the electronic parts from the grouped electrodes,wherein the grouping step includes the steps of: excepting electrodesthat are present on an opposite side to a selected side from theelectrode group that corresponds to the selected side; ranking theelectrodes in the electrode group that corresponds to the selected sidein order of the electrodes whose centers are closer to the selectedside; and extracting the closest electrode to the selected side.
 10. Aparts recognition data preparing method applied to a device, whichrecognizes electronic parts based on image data obtained by picking upan image of the electronic parts, for preparing parts recognition datain which recognition conditions of the electronic parts are recorded,said method comprising the steps of: inputting information of a body andelectrodes of an electronic part; identifying an electronic part typebased on the inputted information of the body and the electrodes of theelectronic part; selecting a recognition algorithm based on theidentified electronic part type, wherein the recognition algorithm isadaptive to the identified electronic part type; automaticallyextracting electronic part shape data, which are required for arecognizing process executed by the recognition algorithm; inputtingoptimum optical conditions adaptive to the identified electronic parttype for picking up an image of the electronic part; grouping theelectrodes for every side of an outer periphery of the body to create aplurality of electrode groups; and excepting electrodes that areoverlapped among respective electrode groups and electrodes that are notused to recognize the electronic parts from the grouped electrodes,wherein the excepting step includes the steps of: excepting the sameelectrodes from electrode groups that correspond to a selected side andan opposite side to the selected side if the same electrodes are presentbetween the electrode groups that correspond to the selected side andthe opposite side; and removing duplicate electrodes by excepting allelectrodes from the electrode group that corresponds to the selectedside when the number of electrodes in the electrode group thatcorresponds to a neighboring side to the selected side is larger than 2and by excepting all electrodes from an electrode group in which acenter of electrode alignment is not positioned at a center of the bodywhen the number of electrodes in the electrode group that corresponds tothe neighboring side is less than 2 if the number of electrodes in theelectrode group that corresponds to the selected side is smaller than 3and the electrodes are contained in the electrode group that correspondsto the neighboring side.
 11. An electronic parts mounting device formounting sequentially electronic parts onto predetermined positions of acircuit board by a parts holding means having a suction nozzle, whichholds the electronic parts detachably, based on input NC information,said device comprising: an inputting means for inputting information ofa body and electrodes of an electronic part; a recognition algorithmselecting means for identifying an electronic part type based on inputinformation of the body and the electrodes and then selecting anelectronic part recognition algorithm based on the identified electronicpart type, wherein the electronic part recognition algorithm recognizesthe electronic part and is adaptive to the identified electronic parttype; a parts shape data extracting means for extracting automaticallyelectronic part shape data, which are required for a recognizing processexecuted by the selected electronic part recognition algorithm, from theinput information of the body and the electrodes; an optical-conditionsetting means for setting optical conditions that permit the picking upof an image of the electronic parts under conditions, which are adaptiveto the identified electronic part type; a recognizing means forrecognizing a suction attitude of the electronic parts held by thesuction nozzle; and a correcting means for correcting a mountingposition onto the circuit board in response to the suction attitude ofthe electronic parts recognized by the recognizing means, wherein theelectrodes are grouped for every side of an outer periphery of the bodyto create a plurality of electrode groups, such that: electrodes thatare present on an opposite side to a selected side are excepted from theelectrode group that corresponds to the selected side, and theelectrodes in the electrode group that corresponds to the selected sideare ranked according to their respective positions on the electronicpart and, based upon a result thereof, at least one of the electrodes inthe electrode group that corresponds to the selected side is extracted,and further wherein electrodes that are overlapped among respectiveelectrode groups are excepted.
 12. A recording medium for recording aparts recognition data preparing program for executing, by a programmedcomputer, to prepare parts recognition data, which is applied to adevice for recognizing electronic parts based on image data obtained bypicking up an image of the electronic parts and includes recognitionconditions of the electronic parts, wherein said parts recognition datapreparing program comprises the steps of: inputting information of abody and electrodes of an electronic part; grouping the electrodes forevery side of an outer periphery of the body to create a plurality ofelectrode groups, wherein each electrode group corresponds to a uniqueside of the outer periphery of the body; excepting electrodes that areoverlapped among respective electrode groups and electrodes that are notused to recognize the electronic parts from the grouped electrodes;identifying an electronic part type based on the inputted information ofthe body and the electrodes of the electronic part; deciding, based onthe identified electronic part type, a recognition algorithm thatrecognizes the electronic part and that is adaptive to the electronicpart type; extracting electronic part shape data, which are required fora recognizing process executed by the decided recognition algorithm,from information of the body and the electrodes; deciding optimumoptical conditions for picking up the image of the electronic parts,wherein said step of grouping further includes the steps of: exceptingelectrodes that are present on an opposite side to a selected side fromthe electrode group that corresponds to the selected side; ranking theelectrodes in the electrode group that corresponds to the selected sideaccording to their respective positions on the electronic part; andextracting at least one of the electrodes in the electrode group thatcorresponds to the selected side based on a result of the step ofranking.